Laneway Housing

Our Position

The Toronto Society of Architects fully supports allowing laneway housing as-of-right in Toronto. We believe in the potential of laneway housing to provide opportunities for design excellence in our city, while contributing to housing diversity, affordability, and density.

Actions
Letter and Deputation to the Toronto and East York Community Council

On June 4, 2018 the Toronto Society of Architects, in fulfillment of its traditional role of ensuring that architecture and urban design are key considerations in public discussions, made an official submission to the Toronto and East York Community Council regarding Changing Lanes: The City of Toronto’s Review of Laneway Suites – City-Initiated Official Plan Amendment and Zoning Amendment – Final Report. The TSA urged the Council to move forward with the by-law and Official Plan amendments that would allow laneway housing as-of-right within the boundaries of the Council, while also raising concern over the unduly prescriptive guidelines and requirements that limit architectural expression and hinder the full potential of this new housing type in the city.

You can read the TSA’s official submission here.

Following up on our official submission, the Toronto Society of Architects – represented by Executive member Barbora Vokac Taylor – made a deputation to the Toronto and East York Community Council on June 6, 2018.

You can see the deputation on the City of Toronto’s Youtube channel. 

News and Follow Up

Following our letter and deputation the TSA has engaged in a number of other advocacy activities related to this issue. This includes interviews and news articles on the potential of laneway housing to provide new opportunities for design excellence in our city and better utilize our Toronto’s existing infrastructure.  You can see all articles and interviews below, as well as other articles which mention the role of the TSA in helping advance this issue in Toronto.